Nuclear Equipment (Exports)

HC Deb 27 April 1981 vol 3 cc334-5W

Mr. Kaufman

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will give details of the quantities, destination and nature of any nuclear equipment exported from the United Kingdom for each of the past 20 years.

Mr. Parkinson

The information which can be provided within acceptable limits of cost is as follows:

(3) what estimate has been made of the cost and manpower implications for local authorities of enforcing the Trade Descriptions (Origin Marking) (Miscellaneous Goods) Order.

Mrs. Sally Oppenheim

The order will impose some additional costs on traders and enforcement authorities, as I made clear in the debate in Standing Committee on 1 April. These cannot be estimated precisely but will, I believe, be modest in relation to the consumer benefits involved. The latter have been clearly identified by the two surveys of consumer opinion which I commissioned, respectively from the National Consumer Council and the National Union of Townswomen's Guilds, before proceeding with the order.